The Tennis Thread

The Tennis Thread

Author
Discussion

BlackLabel

13,251 posts

122 months

Friday 22nd January 2021
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Murray out of the Australian open.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/tennis/55749046


abzmike

8,242 posts

105 months

Friday 22nd January 2021
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BlackLabel said:
Murray out of the Australian open.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/tennis/55749046
Says he is 'gutted' just now - I appreciate he is desperate to play, but suspect he might feel he's dodged a bullet on reflection.

Babw

886 posts

145 months

Friday 19th February 2021
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Djerkovic in another AO final. Expect an Oscar worthy performance if he starts losing on Sunday.

Bonefish Blues

26,448 posts

222 months

Friday 19th February 2021
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Babw said:
Djerkovic in another AO final. Expect an Oscar worthy performance if he starts losing on Sunday.
Is he the least likeable character in Elite World Sport, I wonder?

McGee_22

6,654 posts

178 months

Friday 19th February 2021
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Bonefish Blues said:
Babw said:
Djerkovic in another AO final. Expect an Oscar worthy performance if he starts losing on Sunday.
Is he the least likeable character in Elite World Sport, I wonder?
I suspect Serena pips him to that title.

Bonefish Blues

26,448 posts

222 months

Friday 19th February 2021
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McGee_22 said:
Bonefish Blues said:
Babw said:
Djerkovic in another AO final. Expect an Oscar worthy performance if he starts losing on Sunday.
Is he the least likeable character in Elite World Sport, I wonder?
I suspect Serena pips him to that title.
Close run thing, either way!

V41LEY

2,889 posts

237 months

Sunday 21st February 2021
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I’ll be honest to say that tennis isn’t my thing. However, I caught the last set in the final this morning. God it was dull even with a crowd in. Is this what tennis is like these days ? The same old protagonists slugging it out. If I was new to the game I’d be saying where’s the wow factor. Does tennis have a bigger problem in this regard ? I know no one cares about tennis in this country really because hardly anyone plays it !

McGee_22

6,654 posts

178 months

Sunday 21st February 2021
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I would suggest you don't like tennis - both players today played some unbelievable shots and with such precision and power - it was completely different to yesterdays Ladies final which as dull as could be. People can say what they like about the personality of Djoker but his ability is without question. I would suggest that unless Nadal wins another couple of French Opens Djokovic will overtake Fed and Nadal to top the all time Grand Slam winners lists - I can't see Nadal winning any Slam outside of Paris, and perhaps Fed another one at all.

My wife and I were in agreement that the women's game is being held back by their refusal to play five sets - what other sport in the world is there where women don't play as long or to the same standards as the men? Rugby? Football? Athletics? Swimming? Bowls? Table Tennis? Tiddlywinks?They pretty much all have the same length of games or length of circuits/race tracks. The WTA restriction to three sets at Grand Slams means there is a lack of stamina, fitness and perhaps even mental attitude at the top of the women's game which very obviously shows in the consistency and performances at the highest level.

We also briefly discussed whether any of the current women players would beat Navratilova, Seles or Graf at their prime?

Steffi Graf's two unique achievements are that she is the only one player, Men or Ladies, who has completed The Grand Slam in the modern era, as well as The Golden Slam. She also just missed out completing The Grand Slam by one Grand Slam event on four other occasions.

V41LEY

2,889 posts

237 months

Sunday 21st February 2021
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I don’t dislike tennis - I guess because we don’t have a British singles player to get behind (especially the paucity of talent in the women’s game) like we did say in the Murray era, I’m even less likely to care. I grew up on McEnroe, Connors, Agassi etc. They brought something to the game that the current crop of players don’t seem to. I’m probably not the target audience but don’t young viewers new to the game need to witness a bit more drama, personality etc ? Jocko is a marmite character. Maybe he just too good and that’s the problem combined with the personality of a brick wall.
I don’t agree that the women should go to five sets. If you look back over the Slam final results - most are decided 6-2 6-2; 6-4 6-1 or similar. The exception being the 2019 Oz final which was close over all three sets. Won’t we just end with these super big power hitters and the game is even more of a baseline bore ? Graf, Seles, Evert etc would be blown away by the current game. Little opportunity for their craft and guile. I don’t know the answer but there seem to be big issues the game needs to address.


Babw

886 posts

145 months

Sunday 21st February 2021
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Personally it was a massive anti climax, Medvedev had a great winning run up to this point and basically even pre match gave the mental advantage to Djokovic.

This for me is the great disappointment with modern tennis; lack of real competition with regards to belief from the younger players. They respect the big 3 too much, there’s too much involvement from the big three even politically and a weird nepotism where Medvedev talks about what a nice guy Djokovic is at the end of a grand slam ass whooping.

Too many “nice” guys rather than hungry competitors. It’s well know Djokovic ate and slept Federer + Djokovic and went about re engineering his game to beat these two guys. Some of the younger guys need to really step and work to beat these rather than to be happy coming second best.

V41LEY

2,889 posts

237 months

Sunday 21st February 2021
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Agree. I’m not sure it says much about the state of the game when the Big 3 are still dominating the game in both wins and media (in a sport where youth used to be key) with a combined age of 106.

McGee_22

6,654 posts

178 months

Sunday 21st February 2021
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Nadal, Fed and Djoker are quite obviously the greatest three mens players ever, even eclipsing Sampras and Borg before them and I think their individual rivalry with each other spurs them on knowing that quite probably, whomever ends up top of the Grand Slam winning stack when they've all retired will probably stay there for a very, very, long time. Their rivalry is the thing that has elevated their individual high skill level to even greater levels and only let them drop 9 Grand Slam wins in 15 years, with 3 each for Murray and Stan and 3 other individual winners.

As suggested it does seem there is a gulf in quality and/or attitude between those three and all the rest. I know that Murray knocked on their door for a long time, appearing in quite a few finals before finally winning his three Grand Slams, but not sure how Grand Slam finals Stan has appeared in, so they do stand out as 'the best of the rest' but few other players have come close to winning Grand Slams from the 'big three'.

As for the Ladies playing three or five sets, I think the reason a lot of womens finals are won over two sets is because there is a mental block on winning in three sets simply because it is so seldom or never done; plenty of mens games run to four or five sets because the mental attitude that a match can still be won even from well down in a second set and sometimes even third set and this has dramatically and hugely increased the mens players stamina, mental resilience and shot and serve consistency over the womens players.

I can't see why the WTA doesn't give the Ladies two years notice that they will have a two year experiment of 5 set Grand Slam finals and see what it does for the womens game overall? I think it would be very beneficial in almost every area of their game. Just to be clear, I don't subscribe in any way to the pay argument - the tournament organisers can pay any or all of them buttons or coins or not at all - I just think the womens tennis game needs picking up in comparison to the mens.

V41LEY

2,889 posts

237 months

Monday 22nd February 2021
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For someone who isn’t really bothered about tennis, I’ve been too much researching ! Must be furlough and boredom. Went onto the LTA site for a nose around. Their mission statement is the usual waffle about engagement and involvement. Only when you get to the penultimate paragraph is there reference to the ‘Player Pathway’ - nurturing the next generation of Champions. Click on Player Pathway - 404 Page Not Found - and a picture of a broken racket.

nickfrog

20,872 posts

216 months

Tuesday 9th March 2021
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Has anyone played in the Local Tennis Leagues? www.localtennisleagues.com/

How did it go?

I have just put my name down for April in my area (Adur / Worthing) - there were 8 entrants last time in September 20 but I don't really know what to expect.

The main motivation for me is to find regular partners as I want to play 4/5 times a week this year.

Skylinecrazy

13,986 posts

193 months

Tuesday 9th March 2021
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The tide of the men’s game is slowly turning.. could be an exciting few years ahead

Babw

886 posts

145 months

Sunday 18th April 2021
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Skylinecrazy said:
The tide of the men’s game is slowly turning.. could be an exciting few years ahead
Never truer than this week at Monte Carlo.

I think the future for tennis looks great, some very exciting and capable players with different game styles coming through. Hopefully we have 10 years where there isn't total domination by a couple of players but 5-10 players competing hard for everything.

JiggyJaggy

1,449 posts

139 months

Monday 17th May 2021
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Have taken up tennis again (hadn't played for approx 10 years) but always been a decent sportsman - Rugby / Cricket / Hockey 1st teams and regular 5-a-side footie player for nearly 20 years. Played a few times and noticed Im absolutely smashing the ball (6ft3 and 14 odd stone etc).

Can anyone suggest particular racquet more suited towards control rather than power? One of the lads mentioned racquet choice make a significant difference? (Currently using a Wilson Blade 101L V7.0 for any one who knows the racquet well).

TIA

nickfrog

20,872 posts

216 months

Tuesday 18th May 2021
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JiggyJaggy said:
Have taken up tennis again (hadn't played for approx 10 years) but always been a decent sportsman - Rugby / Cricket / Hockey 1st teams and regular 5-a-side footie player for nearly 20 years. Played a few times and noticed Im absolutely smashing the ball (6ft3 and 14 odd stone etc).

Can anyone suggest particular racquet more suited towards control rather than power? One of the lads mentioned racquet choice make a significant difference? (Currently using a Wilson Blade 101L V7.0 for any one who knows the racquet well).

TIA
Perhaps you need more tension, something like 55. If you do have it restrung perhaps also choose a poly string. Cost is around £25 for restringing so a good first step if you haven't had it done for a while or are still on the OE cheapo string or both.

Babw

886 posts

145 months

Sunday 23rd May 2021
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Anyone betting against Rafa for this years RG?

Bright Halo

2,950 posts

234 months

Friday 28th May 2021
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I’m quite happy to be told I’m wrong but Naomi Osaka not doing post match interviews just seems wrong to me.
She says it is to protect her mental health but surely facing questions about your match performance is part and parcel of being a highly paid professional athlete?
Are the interviews really that bad, the ones I have seen always seem quite relaxed and generally very well mannered?